What's More Important: A Job that Pays Well or One You Love?

[Ther]

In a recent post on Althanas' sister forum, AllRPG, a poster named Ryong told us that "Yer jobs is just one part of yer life, it is NOT yer life." So my question to you is this:

Is it more important to love what you're doing profesionally, or to make money to give the rest of your family a better life? If you had to choose one or the other, what would you pick? I'm thinking of a husband of a former professor of mine who pretty much has a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature but instead became a computer programmer because it meant providing a better life (i.e. making more money) for his wife (my professor) and their two kids then both of them having academic jobs would.

[Dissinger]

I prefer to love what I do than love my pay. When your job becomes shackles of gold, it sucks because they're still shackles.

Lucky for me I work at Games Workshop so I get a good paying (comparitively) job AND a job I love.

[Cyrus the virus]

I've had several decent-paying jobs that I hated, and every one of them sapped my spirit. Now I'm looking for something a little more meaningful to me, and am not caring so much about the pay. Naturally it takes a much longer time to find a job I like, but I think it'll be worth it in the end.

[Alearto]

If you're just talking about making a clear-cut, hypothetical choice between a lousy good-paying job or a good lousy-paying job, I'd take the job I enjoyed even if it didn't pay as much. But that's assuming I wasn't trying to support other people in addition to myself with this job, since in that situation I'd take the job that paid better if necessary.

In the real world, it's something of a balancing act. You have to try and find a job you can at least stomach doing, but will pay enough that you can live comfortably. It's all about finding that Happy Medium between material, spiritual, and psychological needs. You need food, sleep, and shelter, but you also need intellectual and spiritual stimulation, so having a job so boring it makes you want to gouge out your eyes for a little variety isn't worth it just because it pays well.

If you're lucky, you'll that very rare instance when the thing you love doing happens to provide you with a fabulously well-paying job. In that case, you're good to go.

[Atzar]

This question isn't quite that black-and-white.

It's not really "good job, bad pay" and "good pay, bad job". The person in question has a family, and it's for that reason that I would take the "good pay" in the end. Support your family, show them that you're willing to do anything for them, make them happy. In return, they'll give you all the love and happiness you could ever need.

[MadGoblin]

I'm actually at that crossroad right now. I'm still schooling, but I've been working for a global drug research company that shall remain nameless for about two years now. They pay is stunning, especially considering that I haven't even graduated yet, but it's entirely not what I want to do. I want to work with dead bodies, not find new ways to make pills that make dead bodies. Oh, nameless company, you screw up sooo much.

But, yeah, I'm choosing enjoyment over pay. I'd rather say, "Oh boy, work!" rather than, "Oh boy, pay day!"

Unless we're talkin' the candy bar. That's a whole other story.

[Demiana]

In my fantasy world, I'd be a violist in a world class symphony, traveling around and working just 4 hours a day. But in reality, you have to teach too to make it by and if you accidentally lose a finger, you're stuck teaching forever. Too risky for me.

Now, though, I've taken my second passion (albeit, one I'm not as good at, heh) and am turning that into a career. Materials engineering is so hard but so interesting (still in college right now, another couple of years, it never ends).

But I still play viola and I can still do gigs. Good for having some spending money and I can still take lessons and stuff. Who knows, if I do really well in materials, I can retire early and do music purely for fun, not even for a living, heh.

[galadra]

I would say it's way more important to have a job you love... I recently had a job I couldn't stand (pretty much just paid the bills) and the first chance I got, I quit, even though I couldn't afford it.

If you enjoy your job, you're going to be much better off mentally, because it'll just be another fun thing you do in your day.

I'll agree with alerarto, it is a balancing act, because the real world makes demands of all of us (financially, at least), and in order to survive (unless you call on the streets surviving) you need to meet those demands.

I also like Demiana's reply, that she's doing what pays while still doing what she loves on the side. Also a part of the balancing act?

I still say do what you like and love over pay (so long as you're getting all your financial needs met), though... I'm sure I could've gotten myself to love my job with the post office (data entry) if I had tried. Buuuut.... it's too late for that now. :D

[AdventWings]

If you can't stand the job you're doing, what's the point?

It's kind of like the same mindset when you think about which is more important. Live your life or Survive day by day?

I choose going with the job I want to do, thank you. If I have to work on something that bores me to death, there's no motivation in doing it. Because, in your mind (or maybe it's just me) you would go "What's the Point?"


I want to work with dead bodies, not find new ways to make pills that make dead bodies. Oh, nameless company, you screw up sooo much.

A-zaWha?! Don't tell me you're working for an off-shoot of Umbrella Company! ;)

[Vorin]

That's obviously why his posts are so good! Nemesis writes them.

Simple for me. As long as the job has at least one redeeming quality, even just good coffee, I don't care if I don't like it. Work isn't fun. That's why it's called work. In the end, good money makes even the worst jobs all the sweeter, especially because money buys sweet lady Candy. ;) God I love candy.

[Ithermoss]

With my father as a good example, I never attach what I love to a job. Then what I love becomes associated with money and obligation. I've learned to love what positive change I can effect through my job, not the job itself.

I translate medical records, invoices, bills, and treatment documents from German into English. The speed at which I do this can mean life or death for the patient. "Good" work means winning this race on my end, so the patient doesn't kick the bucket while his insurance company is trying to figure out what they're paying for.

[Alayna]

I would rather have a job I loved even if it didn't pay all that well. But of course, lots of money is always a lovely bonus. :)

[Cyrus the virus]

I'm applying for a minimum wage job at a game store, just because I know I'd enjoy it. When you don't loathe going to work every morning, it should be easier to drag yourself out of bed. That's my hope, anyway ;)